Wife of murdered Kampala accountant arrested

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The one-week search for a missing former Monitor Publications senior accountant Abel Katende took a dramatic twist on Sunday when Police found his body in a septic tank at his home in Kasangati, just outside Kampala. His wife Janet Namugenyi Katende and children have now been arrested, with police linking them to the murder.

A joint effort by the Flying Squad, Crime Investigation Department, Fire Brigade and rescue services, together with area police managed to exhume the body of the deceased from the septic tank where he had been dumped.

Police were in the past week handling the case as a kidnap one from before they got a tip and interrogated the family.

According to Police, “the arrested family members upon questioning confessed to having conspired and committed the murder and were able to help police in reconstructing the scene of murder.”

A police statement said their investigations indicated that due to misunderstandings in the family, Katende had relocated to his ancestral home in Masulita two years back but was lured back before he was murdered..

“The deceased received a call from his children Lilian Najuma and Gideon Kaya (all suspects) he had fathered with his wife, a one Janet Namugenyi Katende (suspect) saying they needed to visit and bond with him after a very long time to which he agreed.”

Katende did visit on April 27, 2018 but was not seen thereafter and was instead reported kidnapped by his son Andrew Nkubi.

The body has been taken to Mulago Mortuary for post mortem.

Flying Squad Commander ACP Herbert Muhangi has meanwhile warned the residents who intended to storm and demolish the houses of the suspects in anger that they would also be charged with malicious damage.

ACP. Muhangi called upon the residents to stay calm and maintain neighborhood watch during this sad period as investigations are being finalized.